June 1st, 2005 Red Sail Sports has expanded its dive fleet with a new 48 foot pro dive boat called “Biba Bon” which translates to “living well.” They offer a kids’ program with various fun activities for children including a bubble maker course for children eight to eleven years old that teaches kids underwater breathing. Also offered is SAS(Y)-Supplied Air Snorkeling for Youth, for children ages six and up, which allows kids to join diving parents on an ocean scuba adventure. Scuba unit is custom fit for kids and is used for snorkeling only. Other activities include the extreme snorkel, half day luncheon snorkel sail, banana boat rides, tube rides, ocean kayaks, hobie cat rides and paddle boat rides.
Morgan’s Island is the name of the soon to be biggest water park in the Caribbean and Latin America. The projected finishing date is early 2006. Visitors will enjoy wild water rafting, water slides as high as 131 feet tall, canoe passages, waterfalls, a man made sea coral habitat, swimming pools, a spa, water tubes, roller coasters, four restaurants and a shopping mall.
Aruba was ranked as a Top Wreck Diving Destination by Scuba Diving Magazine. This comes as a result of the annual Readers’ Choice Awards, which spans a top 100 list encompassing the best walls, wrecks, shore diving, marine live and more. Aruba has consistently appeared in the top wreck diving category for the last 12 years.
Most visitors don’t expect to find underground caves on a tropical island. At the Guadirikiri cave, sunlight filters through two inner chambers, providing the perfect photo opportunity for cave explorers. The cave’s 100-foot long tunnel is home to hundreds of harmless bats. Nearby, the Fontein cave is testimony to the island’s native population. Still-visible drawings by the Arawak Indians decorate the cave’s ceilings and are a powerful reminder of the island’s indigenous history.
Renting a 4-wheel drive is the best means for an unforgettable around-the-island tour. Well-known sites along the way include the picturesque California Lighthouse, the charming Alto Vista chapel and the Bushiribana gold mill ruins. The Natural Bridge is the Caribbean’s highest and most dramatic coral structure and the island’s most photographed site. The back roads of Aruba run along the rugged north coast, passing eerie rock formations, cacti and the famous divi-divi trees.
Arikok National Park is a desert-like ecological preserve composed of a large swath of land, stretching from the northeast coast inland. The National Park is a 34 square kilometer natural preserved area, almost one fifth of the island, located at the north-eastern part of Aruba. It entails several kilometers of walking/hiking trails that take the visitor to historic and cultural treasures well preserved in a unique protected area. Sites like the Fontein Cave, the Miralamar Gold Mines are some of the gems ready to be explored.
Horseback riding is another way to tour Aruba’s environs. Half-day organized ranch tours lead riders through the cunucu, or countryside, and along the coastline. Sand dunes and desert-like plains complete with cacti provide a setting unique to a Caribbean island.
If you want to explore Aruba in a different way, choose one of these options such as a Jeep Safari tour, a bumpy ATV tour through the rugged island terrain or just by one of the several bus tours which can be either air conditioned or just open air busses. Any of these trips that you choose, have their own unique way of letting you experience Aruba and enjoy a day filled with lots of adventure and fun in the sun.
Paintball is becoming a very popular past time among both families and groups. The Aruba visitors can now enjoy a competition of paintball at the Rancho Daimari.
Sailing, that’s a must while on Aruba, as almost all of the different water sport companies on Aruba offer daily snorkeling trips and sunset trips on their beautiful and comfortable catamarans. You will enjoy a full day or an afternoon filled with music and drinks, spectacular view of Aruba’s white sandy coast, while you snorkel at some of the most amazing snorkeling sites in the hotel area.
Join the crazy crew of Tattoo, Aruba’s #1 party boat, for a night filled with fun, shows, wild contest and great music from the best DJ on the high seas. The Fiesta buffet and the fully stocked bar will keep you satisfied all night long.
A visit to Aruba’s Butterfly Farm is an unforgettable encounter with nature in all its beauty and diversity. Step into a tropical garden teeming with butterflies from around the globe and prepare to meet some of the world’s most colorful and unusual creatures. Arrive early and witness new butterflies emerging from their chrysalis and taking their first flight. The butterfly farm is a rare opportunity for photography and a sure delight for visitors of all ages.
Go beyond snorkeling and try “SNUBA” (Snorkeling + Scuba). Air tanks float on rafts on the ocean and several 20 foot air hoses provide oxygen to the swimmer below the surface. The hoses permit underwater explorers as young as eight to safely descend to a depth of 20 feet with the aid of a SNUBA-instructor, allowing for unique views of colorful fish and intriguing coral formations.
The Save Our Donkeys Foundation has rescued an amazing number of animals in just a few short years. Come and spend some time at the Donkey Sanctuary. You can also feed and adopt a donkey. There are guides present who would enjoy telling you about the history of the donkeys in Aruba and showing you around.
Fishing is available along the shore in Savaneta, from the causeway at Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino or off the rocks at Malmok. Check out the fishing fleet returning at noon or late in the afternoon when it arrives at the pier and see the small wooden boats at Fisherman’s Hut heavy with the day’s catch.
Take the kids to the north shore on safari and look for wildlife such as wild donkeys, rabbits, goats, iguanas and all sorts of lizards. Don’t forget to look up for pelicans and parrots of all colors. If you get lost, just follow the divi divi trees, which point towards the area of the island where most hotels are.
Tira Koochi Park is a unique playground for kids, fully filled with white sea sand. There are resting areas for parents that just want to relax while their children enjoy the different games
